Electric fan



am, 314,, 19%. H H C FULLER v zmmm ELECTRIC FAN Filed 001;. 2, 1935 [NP/ZEN 70/2 Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 2, 1935, Serial No. 43,261 In Great Britain August 28, 1934 r 2 Claims. (Cl. 230-274) This invention relates to electric fans, and it has for its object to provide an improved form and construction of fan which is intended for table use, and which is specially arranged so as to produce a delivery of air which is substantially uniformly distributed around the whole circumference of the fan said air being projected in a somewhat horizontal direction so as to create the most beneficial, pleasant and efficient circulation.

To this end the invention provides a table fan arranged to direct a current of air radially outwards in a substantially horizontal direction, and comprising in combination: an open-ended l5 tubular stand vertically mounted on feet or the like by which the ingress of air is allowed and enclosing an electric driving motor, an open casing above said motor and containing an air impeller disposed with its axis of rotation ver- 20 tical, and a support above the impeller for a dish-like receptacle for the accommodation of fruit, flowers, refreshments or other table appurtenances. The invention further provides a table fan of a similar form, comprising in combination, an open-ended tubular .stand supported vertically upon feet, an electric motor vertically disposed within the stand, an air impeller fixed on the upper end of the motor shaft, an open casing for said impeller, and an annular support above the level of the impeller for receiving any suitable dish-like receptacle upon which the air stream will impinge and by which the stream will be deflected to flow outwardly in a substantially horizontal direction. The improved table fan may also, if desired, comprise in combination, an open-ended tubular stand supported vertically upon feet, an electric motor vertically disposed within the stand, an impeller fixed on the upper end of the motor-shaft and adapted to direct an air stream drawn through the stand in an outward and substantially horizontal direction, an open casing for said impeller, and an annular support above the level of the impeller for receiving a dish-like receptacle. The stand may be supported on feet or be otherwise provided with lower openings for the admission of air which passes through the driving motor under the action of the impeller.

50 The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying diagrammatic drawing in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of table fan; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing a modified form of construction, the receptacle being indicated in broken lines.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, it will be seen that a driving motor I!) having a vertical spindle ll is fitted within a stand or pedestal l2, which 5 latter is supported upon three or more feet I3 so as to provide lower openings l4 when the stand i2 is disposed upon the surface of a table indicated at I5.

At its upper part the stand l2 carries an open 10 casing I6 conveniently composed of an attachment ring I! and a concentrically arranged supporting wire ring l8, these two parts being joined by a plurality of radial wires l9. The wire ring It serves as an annular support for a dish-like head 28 forming the upper part of the device, the diameter of said ring preferably being substantially equal to or more than the outside diameter of an impeller in the form of a bladed fan 2| secured to the upper end of the spindle H. The fan 2| is thus rotated by the motor l0 when the latter is fed with electricity, and produces an upwardly moving current of air which impinges against the under surface 22 of the head 20 by which it is deflected radially out- 25 wards in a substantially horizontal direction. As the head is formed with a depending annular bead 20 about which the ring l8 fits, the head will be firmly held against transverse movement and cannot accidentally slip out of its proper position. The upwardly curved marginal portion M of the head provides a bordering flange for the same, as well as assisting in directing outward movement of air from the impeller. When the driving motor IE1 is of the open-ended 3.3 type a part of the air induced by the fan 2| passing through the openings I l, will be drawn through the interior of the driving motor, thus cooling the latter in the generally known manner and enabling a comparatively high current rating to be employed.

The actual design of the stand and associated parts can, of course, be modified to suit any particular decorative scheme or mode of manufacture, and a somewhat differently shaped stand is accordingly illustrated in Figure 2. In this instance, the driving shaft ll of the motor I0 is fitted with an impeller which in itself is adapted to create a radially outward horizontal flow of air: Such an impeller comprises a disc m 23 having a plurality of radially arranged blades 24 perpendicularly depending therefrom. Further, the stand l2 which is provided with feet l3 as before is axially extended-upwardly, and is provided with a top 25 formed with a circumferential annular flange 26 serving to support the receptacle 20.

The outflow of air from the impeller 23 is delivered through a series of apertures 21 formed in the stand [2, the upper part of which, therefore, serves as the open casing for permitting the horizontal outflow of air.

In the example shown in Figure 2 one or more of the apertures 21. may each have associated therewith. a shutter member 28 fitted between slides 29 extending vertically at opposite sides of the aperture, so that, if it is desired to reduce or entirely stop the radial current of air in one particular direction, it is only necessary to raise the corresponding shutter member 28 to a partly or completely closed position, when, of wurse, the outflow of air in that particular direction will be diminished without appreciably affecting the discharge in other directions. 7

As the improved fan is intended for table use, thesstand and its associated parts should be of a pleasing appearance, said stand being very suitable for construction from moulded material, such as synthetic resin, from which material the-receptacle can also be manufactured so as toharmonize with the stand. The device according .to .the invention may most conveniently be arranged to serve as a flower stand or other table ornament by forming the stand in anappropriate manner.

,It is found in practice that the improved device is very useful, combining as it does a radially discharging fan with a utility article in the form-of a receptacle, this combination re sulting in an extremely useful and pleasing form of stand which is suitable for table decoration.

What I claim to be new is: l. A table fan comprising an open ended tubular stand having supporting feet at its bottom,

0 amotor disposedvertically in said stand, an air impeller flxed to the upper portion of the motor shaft above said stand, an open casing for said impeller carried by said stand and disposed above the same about said impeller, and a disc resting upon said casing and having a depending annular bead surrounded by said casing to hold the disc in place upon the casing, said disc having its marginal portions projecting outwardly beyond the casing and curved upwardly to provide a bordering flange for the disc and adapting the disc to serve as a deflector for directing air outwardly from sides of the casing and also as a tray.

2. A table fan comprising an open-ended tubular casing having supporting feet at its bottom, a motor disposed vertically in said stand with its shaft projecting upwardly above the stand,

an impeller fixed upon the upper portion of the motor shaft above the stand, an open casing carried by said stand about said impeller and consisting of a ring fitting snugly within the upper portion "of the stand about said motor, arms projecting radially from said ring and outwardly from walls of the stand with their outer portions bent upwardly beyond the impeller, and an upperring having upper ends of said arms bent about the same to secure the arms to the upper ring, and a disc-like head restingupon the upper'ends of arms of the easing and having a depending annular bead encircled'by the:up er ring to prevent transverse movement of the head when in place, said disc having its-marginal portions projecting radially beyond the casing and extended upwardly to forma bordering flange for the head adapting the disc to-serve as adeflector for directing air outwardly'through sides of the casing and also as a tray.

HUGH HERCUS- CAVENDISH FULLER. 

